1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording and reproducing apparatus having the capability of recording and reproducing image signals in different formats.
2. Description of the Related Art
One known technique for recording and reproducing video signals supplied by a plurality of image pickup systems is a stereoscopic image recording/reproducing system. In such a system, during a recording operation, video signals supplied from a plurality of image pickup systems (right and left image pickup systems) are switched in such a manner that right and left images are alternately recorded for each field, and, during a reproducing operation, right and left images are reproduced in a time-division fashion using a liquid crystal shutter or a similar technique, thereby reproducing a stereoscopic image. In another known technique, video signals supplied from a plurality of image pickup systems are recorded using separate recording systems while maintaining synchronization. The video signals are reproduced in a polarized fashion while maintaining synchronization among the video signals. Users can view a stereoscopic image through polarization spectacles.
However, these techniques are only for recording and reproducing a stereoscopic image, and they do not have the capability of, for example, recording and reproducing video signals provided by a multifunction image pickup system. For example, conventional techniques do not have the capability of taking a picture through a plurality of imaging optical systems in such a manner that the view field of each imaging system has a partially-overlapped region so that an image with a modified aspect ratio or a panoramic image can be reproduced.
Multifunction image pickup systems provide output signals in various formats such as a panoramic video signal, a modified aspect ratio video signal, a high definition video signal, a stereoscopic video signal, etc., which can be switched as required. To handle video signals provided by the multifunction image pickup system, an image recording and reproducing apparatus must have the capability of recording a mixture of video signals in various formats, and the capability of, during a reproducing operation, providing an output signal in a suitable format depending on the type of video signal to be reproduced and also depending on the type of output apparatus used.